Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Tuesday 3 14 17 morning call

Yesterday was yet another gorgeous day of surfing here in Maui and the photos below (I finally got the new camera), will show just that.







4am significant buoy readings
South shore

Lanai
2.7ft @ 13s from 267° (W)
1.4ft @ 9s from 229° (SW)

The south swell disappeared from the buoy, but that could be because the energy of WNW wrap "covers" the one from the south. A confirmation of this is found in the energy spectrum plot below. I put a red arrow to indicate the little energy between 12 and 17s that seems to still be hitting the buoy. Check the webcams is my usual recommendation.


North shore
NW101
4.8ft @ 13s from 286° (WNW)
4.4ft @ 10s from 321° (NW)  

Waimea
5.5ft @ 13s from 313° (NW)
2.3ft @ 10s from 331° (NNW)

Pauwela
3.7ft @ 11s from 338° (NNW)
2.3ft @ 8s from 65° (ENE)

Below are the graphs of the three reported buoys and today they're hard to interpret. Also Pat Caldwell had to do some elaborations yesterday:
The NOAA NW Hawaii buoys 51101 and 51001 3/12-13 show dominant energy from W to WNW with deep water swell within 6-7 feet. Given the kauai-niihau shadow on Hawaii, that should place deep water measurements off Waimea, Oahu at just above half. However, the pacioos/cdip Waimea buoy also shows 6 feet swell in the morning of 3/13 with a pinch more WNW to NW direction. This indicates that a ray of swell energy closer to NW on the compass missed the NW Hawaii buoys to the NE but arrived locally.

That is confirmed by today's readings that better show the two distinct energies: 13s from a WNW direction that seems to be missing Pauwela altogether and 10-11s from a NW to NNW direction that instead is showing nicely (but it's never black and white like that). As a result, the waves at Hookipa will be beautiful and clean once again, at least judging from the noise coming from the ocean through my window in this windless morning.

Not sure I'll do a report (might be busy with a lesson which I will call on or off as soon as I can see the webcams), Hookipa should be at least head high.


I get a kick every time the MC2km maps are updated at the time I write this call and today that's the case. They're just so much better than any other wind forecast (which doesn't mean that they're always right!). Below is the 10am one that shows an early start of an easterly trades flow. If you want to surf glassy waves at Hookipa, better go early.


According to the rest of the maps, it could be sailable up the coast (not so much down at Kanaha, but it's not impossible). The 4pm map shows already signs of weakening, so don't push your sailing session too late. Surfing at sunset should be clean again. Everybody should be happy today.


The weather has been fantastic in the last few days and today will be no exception. What an awesome winter this has turned into.


Current wind map shows the following fetches:
1) distant W
2) elongated but weak NW
3) newly formed N. Lows up in the Alaska corner will provide a steady supply of low-medium period small northerly energy throughout this week
4) very distant and intense ESE. It will be interesting to see what we get out of this one. Big Island might be in the way. Big swell for South America.


Quick update on the WSL contest at Snapper's Rock. They didn't run yesterday and from the forecast I see, they might wait until tomorrow where a 8f 8s windswell is predicted. Sunday that windswell will have a huge bump up to 15f 10s, that'll be interesting.

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